This year’s summer program was unlike any other. Set in the culturally rich venue of the Quw’utsun’ Cultural Centre, close to 200 international students from Japan, Spain and China joined together and were invited to learn and experience Canadian culture first hand.

For the past two weeks, Cowichan Valley’s Experience Canada Summer Program team has worked to provide international students with activities that are unique and, most importantly, fun. From making authentic maple syrup toffee to interacting with ocean life through visiting the estuary to sightseeing in a couple of British Columbia’s major cities of Vancouver and Victoria, international students were encouraged to participate in activities that allowed them to try something new.

In addition, the Experience Canada Summer Program has also assembled a team of teachers,staff and home stay families that encouraged students to practice their English. Our students practiced their English through daily ESL blocks scheduled for our students throughout the day. Home stay families also assisted in encouraging students by helping them apply their English through daily communication.

Our international program organizes a summer program that allows kids to learn and enjoy their summer. We were very happy with the students this year as they were all eager to learn and try new experiences. Many of them made a conscious effort to learn and indulge themselves in Canadian culture.